Africa-Press – Uganda. So many questions, so little time. That is the situation Uganda Cranes coach Micho Sredojevic and his bosses, Fufa, find themselves in going into Tuesday’s definitive match in Dar es Salaam.
Friday’s 1-0 defeat to Tanzania in Ismailia, Egypt, marked 270 minutes of Africa Cup of Nations qualifying football without scoring a goal, while conceding three.
Cranes loss to the Taifa Stars, their second in Afcon 2023 qualifiers after an opening 2-0 defeat to Group F leaders Algeria, also left Uganda clutching on straws at the bottom of the pool with just one point, and Micho barely on his job.
With three matches left, only the top two teams in the group, led by Alegia on nine points, Tanzania on four and Niger two fewer, will qualify for Ivory Coast Afcon 2023.
Micho & Fufa
On Friday, it was not just about the defeat – but the manner, coach Micho’s selection, and serious questions about the players’ own ability, commitment and application.
It was also about the honesty, or lack of, in Fufa’s overall strategy – if any.
The signs were clear straight from the starting XI, where coach Micho went for perceived ‘trusted generals’ at the expense of the actual rebuilding he and Fufa have been preaching.
While there was little or no qualms on returning goalkeeper Salim Jamal following his impressive displays at his South African Richards Bay club, majority of Micho’s selections raised eyebrows.
In central defence, Livingstone Mulondo partnersing Halid Lwaliwa ahead of a more established Timothy Awany, who also plays regularly with Israeli club, drew gasps.
Spain based youngster Aziz Kayondo also seemed unsure of himself at left back. But it is from the middle-forward where the country’s coaching, ability and football were seriously questioned.
The Cranes were largely lost in and out of possession, with no meaningful transitions from the back, through the middle, wide areas and attack.
Khalid Aucho, playing well at his Yanga club – who are in the quarterfinals of the Caf Confederation Cup – would have, at best, been the only defensive midfielder in a match Uganda desperately needed to win.
Embrace transition in real sense of it
Instead, he had another defensive minded Siraje Ssentamu alongside him, and a visibly worn-out Faruku Miya.
Miya is having a decent season at his Turkish club, Caykur Rizespor, where he has scored four goals in 18 matches.
But the forward has struggled to get back to his former self in Cranes colours and Friday was not an exception.
No surprise he was hauled off at half time, alongside tired skipper Emmanuel Okwi, striker Fahad Bayo and Ssentamu.
For all the transition that Micho and Fufa talk about, they still leave the country’s gifted prospects on the bench – in some cases using them only when in trouble or not deploying them at all.
Allan Okello, who only came on to replace injured Steven Sserwadda, Travis Mutyaba and Isma Mugulusi are some of the most gifted playmakers the country now, but are hardly fully utilised.
Uganda’s football problems like lack of solid technique and stronger mentality might be traced back to missed stages at the grassroots, but when you chance on special talents like the aforementioned, will you please use them?
That is not to say you discard the old guard at once, but when you maintain Aucho in midfield, help him by giving him forward thinking partners.
And if you must play Joseph Ochaya, deploy him in his defensive position to create space for a natural attacker down the left.
For all Fufa’s talk of using transition as a bridge to the 2026 World Cup, Micho’s selection and set-up still comes off as that of a project desperate for a win at all costs.
Either Micho is not fully sold on it or Fufa have not explained it to him well.
If Fufa are serious about it, they need to get a coach that is as sold on it, allow him to make mistakes by calling the right players and playing a style stamped by both.
If a clear strategy is defined and allowed time, Ugandans are intelligent enough to back it even in the face of temporary defeats along the journey to the Promised Land.
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